Key spatule for musical instruments



Dec.- 15, 1931. R. KERR KEY SPATULE FbR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS Filed Jan. 17, 1931 Jig: Z.

INVENTOR. BY 7) ATTO RNEYS.

Patented Dec. 15, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE RUSSELL KERR, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, ASSIGNOR TO 0. G. CONN, LTD., 01' ELKHART, INDIANA, A CORPORATION OF INDIANA KEY SPATULE FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS Application filed January 17, 1931.

This invention relates to saxophones and especially to key spatules or finger tips for key actuation.

In playing a saxophone the fingers of the right hand of the player are used to operate certain of the keys in the lower register of the instrument, and the side of the hand or the base of the fore finger might be used to operate one or more keys if the key spatules were properly shaped to prevent overrunning' thereof by the side of the hand when the lat tcr should be moved sidewise.

The principal object of my invention is to provide a humped key spatule to facilitate the operation of the high E key of a saxophone.

Another object of the invention is to provide a humped key spatule to facilitate the operation of a saxophone key by the side of the players hand.

Other and more specific objects of the invention are mentioned and described herein.

The preferred embodiment of my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a front or plan view of a portion of a saxophone including the high E key pad and its actuating mechanism;

Fig. 2 is a side view thereof; and

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 illustrating the high .E key pad and its actuating mechanism, including the humped key spatule, detached from the instrument body.

Similar numerals of reference indicate like parts throughout the several views on the drawings.

Referring now to the details of the drawings the numeral 1 represents a portion of the tubular body of a saxophone upon which are shown several of the many key-pads and actuating mechanism therefor, and including the high E ke -pad 2 mounted upon the tiltable arm 3 w ich is rigidly connected with the relatively lengthy rockable shaft 4 which is carried in the bearing posts 5 and 6 fixedly mounted in the saxophone body at opposite ends of said shaft.

Normally, the key pad 2 is spring pressed into engagement with its seat which extends about the high E tone opening (not shown) by a needle-like spring 7 which is mounted Serial No. 509,407.

at one end in the post 6 beneath the bearing for the shaft 4 and which extends longitudinally of said shaft into engagement with a depending lug 8 fixed in the shaft 4, and whereby said shaft is caused to rock.

The numeral 9 represents a key spatule, or finger tip, mounted upon the arm 10 which extends laterally from the shaft 1 adjacent the lower end thereof and adjacent the bear ing post 6, said key spatule being humped, or substantially V shaped, in formation, somewhat elongated, and extending longitudinally of the instrument body 1. Depression of the spatule 9 causes the shaft 4 to rock against the tension of spring 7 and lifts the key pad 2 off its seat, the latter being restored to its seat by said spring upon release of the key spatule 9. Numerals 11 and 12 indicate elongated relatively fiat key spatules arranged successively below spatule 9 for actuating, respectively, the C natural side key pad 13 and B flat side key pad 14 by depression of said key spatules. Preferably, the faces of the two spatules 11 and 12 are disposed in a plane closer to the body 1 of the instrument than the apex of the hump of the key spatule 9 which operates the shaft 4;.

\Vhen the instrument is in use and players right hand may overlie the key spatules 11 and 12, or the hand may be entirely out of contact with the key spatules 9 and 11 when certain key pads in the lower register of the instrument are being actuated by the fingers of that hand, and when the right hand of the player is thus positioned the high E key pad 2 may be quickly and positively actuated by sliding the right hand upward and forcing the base of the fore finger, or the side of the hand, into operative contact with the abruptly inclined face 15 of the key spatule 9, whereby depression or rocking movement of the latter is effected, and whereby said inclined spatule face functions as a stop means to prevent over-running of the players hand in relation to the hump on said key spatule.

I claim:

1. In a saxophone, in combination, a rockable shaft carried by the instrument and provided with a lateral arm, a high E key pad carried by said shaft arm, and a key and extending longitudinally thereof, said shaft being provided with a'lateral arm, a

spatule for rocking said shaft, said spatule being provided with a raised portion to prevent overrunning of the players hand or finger in actuating said spatule.

2. In a saxophone, in combination, a rockable shaft carried by the instrument body and extending longitudinally thereof, said shaft being provided with a lateral arm, a high E normally spring closed key-pad carried by saidshaft arm, and a humped key spatule for rocking said shaft.

3. In a saxophone, in combination, a rockable shaft carried by the instrument body high E normally spring closed key-pad mounted upon said shaft arm, and a rockable humped key spatule connected with said shaft for rocking sameand adapted to be rocked by the side of the fore finger or right hand of the player.

4:. In a saxophone, in combination, a rockable shaft carried by the instrument, extending longitudinally thereof, and provided 1 with a lateral arm adjacent its upper end, a high E key-pad mounted upon said shaft arm, a spring for normally seating said keyrpad, and a humped key spatule connected directly with said shaft adjacent the lower end thereof for rocking saidshaft and thereby unseating said key-pad.

RUSSELL KERR. 

